Trek started on Friday morning. My ruck sack was heavy, even though packed light with only one pair of trousers and two tops (one to wear and one to sleep in), swimming costume/shorts comb, toothbrush, one pair of socks, flip flops and medical supplies. This is packing light for me, even though with sleeping bag, roll mat and fleece, bag was always going to be heavy. Some people just took clothes they were wearing,sleeping bag, tooth paste/brush and change of underwear. How do they do that!!!!!! Packing light is a skill I missed out on ;-) Left early (8:30 ish) in two taxis (trucks) and after about an hour arrived at the elephant riding, where rode an elephant (with guide in front) for about an hour through  country. Getting on was a little scary as you stand on a platform level with elephant and step on to the seat. Well, everytime I went to step across the elephant steped away, and me being my clumsy nervous self didnt want to risk taking a flying leap as prob would have landed on the floor in elephant dung with a splat. Finaly got on with aid of guide holding my arm and yanking me across ( I think he was getting impatiant), and as on my own had to sit in the middle of the seat with legs each side of Nellies head. The dignity of it. (Oh should mention that the twelth person didnt show up, so have room to myself, which is great, but also typical, and things like this have to do on my own). The ride was great, if not a little scary at time s when going down hill. I brought bananas at the start and he really liked them, kept sticking his trunk back for more. Bless. You kind of just put them in his trunk and he takes them down, and every now and then got covered in elephant snot! There were lots of banana stops along the way, so he didnt go hungry - if anythng made a pig of himself. Getting off was fun, as again everytime I went to step off, he would step away from the platform, so took a leap of faith and with guides hand made a jump for it. Phew. Only to go down the ladder and tread in a huge pile of elephant s***!

After that drove for another hour where we stopped, met our porters/guides for the trip B.o.b (that is not Bob it is B.o.b), Kitty and Spiderman, who are all from the hill tribes. Had lunch and off we started.